There are many interesting articles about Systema and its various branches on the Internet, such as this one on Wikipedia. This page is about what I was able to relate to in Systema and how it is different from any other combat systems that I experienced.

A classic once wrote, "For a European, all Russians are Asians; for an Asian, they are Europeans". It is true in that the Russian culture assimilated traditions and knowledge from other cultures it encountered throughout ages, both in Europe and Asia. Due to the size and geography of the country, Russia had to fight against all sorts of enemies. Reflecting on this, a Russian Tsar, Alexander III, used to say that Russia has only two true allies – its Army and Navy.

Consequently, combat skills were always in demand and the body of combat knowledge continuously grew and was passed from generation to generation. There are still entire Cossack villages in Southern Russia where all male population is brought up according to those traditions of old (Cossacks were free settlers who historically defended Russian borders from invaders and were the elite of the Russian Army).